Ch. 131 - Nail a Fireball on the First Try (Part Two)

Before I could get another word out, Ji Niang crossed the room to a spot she’d purposefully cleared earlier.

“Right here,” she said, crouching down. “Give me a second to anchor a ward.”

She pulled out a few components, and after a series of movements I couldn't quite follow, an intricate magic circle shimmered into existence on the floor.

“It’s just a temporary fix for now,” she said, dusting off her hands as she turned back to me. “I’ll have to track down some better materials to stabilize the weave later. Well? Don’t just stand there looking confused—you want to know what it does or what?”

“Definitely,” I said, nodding eagerly. Even with my Psi-vision active, the logic behind the array was a complete mystery to me.

I couldn't see any immediate physical effect, but I could clearly see the faint, magical glow of the field blanketing the area.

“Think of it as a spatial ward,” she explained. “The actual mechanics are way over your head for now, but if you need a visual, imagine it turning the air into thick syrup. It cranks up the spatial resistance.”

“It essentially delays every reaction within the field,” she continued. “Think of a fireball exploding in cinematic slow-motion. Anyway, enough talk. Let’s get to work.”

She didn't elaborate—and honestly, explaining spatial theory to a novice would have taken all night.

She walked over and nudged me toward the edge of the circle. “Want to give it a test run? Try sticking your hand in.”

“Is that safe?” I asked, tilting my head.

“Totally. Just reach out. There’s nothing inherently dangerous about the field itself.”

I took a breath and slowly reached toward the center of the circle.

To my eyes, I was reaching into thin air, but the second my fingers crossed the threshold, it felt like plunging my hand into heavy, viscous liquid.

Through my Psi-vision, I could see my fingers piercing the boundary of the spell.

It was surreal—there was this intense, sluggish drag, like moving through gelatin, but without any actual pressure on my skin.

When I pulled my hand back, the sensation vanished instantly, as if it had never happened.

“Pretty wild, right?”

“Yeah,” I breathed. “Incredible.”

“Okay, now try casting a Fireball toward the center,” Ji said, pointing to the middle of the ward.

“Just a regular one?” I asked, though my hand was already up. I decided to skip the wand; I didn't want any extra variables interfering with the experiment.

I reached out with my mind, linking to the Fireball entry in my Spell Book.

I knew the structure by heart, even if I hadn't mastered the deeper theory. But as soon as the connection snapped into place, I felt the book greedily drinking from my mana core.

The draw was massive, significantly heavier than a simple Cleaning Charm. At this rate, it felt like it was going to drain an entire core in one shot.

Why is the consumption so high? I thought, panicked. I’d cast massive Cleaning Charms before that didn't take even a fraction of this energy.

“First time casting?” Ji Niang asked, noticing my hesitation. “Don’t panic. That’s a normal draw. Keep your Psi-vision on and watch how the book converts raw mana into elemental energy.”

Her voice steadied my nerves. I pushed past the doubt and let the mana flow.

It surged into the Spell Book, twisting and refining itself into a volatile, fiery force. The sudden heat was staggering.

An intricate, glowing crimson array flickered to life in front of my palm, and for a split second, the sheer mental tax made my head swim.

I wasn't ready for that kind of kickback, but I could feel it.

The air was sizzling, and right in front of me, the spell was finally taking shape.

The Spell Book’s ritual—the magical array hovering before me—flared to life. Fire mana began to condense at a terrifying rate, swirling into a white-hot orb of raw energy.

This wasn't just some campfire trick.

Wisps of flame lashed out from the surface like agitated snakes, and the orb rippled with a volatility that made my pulse race. It felt less like a spell and more like holding a handful of live C4.

The moment the energy peaked, I knew I had to let go. I thrust my hand forward, and the fireball tore away from my palm.

The array behind it shattered instantly. Its remaining mana surged into the orb like a booster rocket, giving it one last kick of momentum before the circle faded into sparks.

As soon as the fireball breached the spatial ward, the world seemed to hit the pause button. The projectile didn't explode; it just hung there, frozen mid-flight.

Only the lingering heat shimmering in the air proved it had even moved.

"Not bad," Ji Niang said, offering a rare nod of approval. "You actually pulled off a successful Fireball on your first try."

I tilted my head, genuinely confused. "Is it even possible to fail, Ma'am?"

To me, using a Spell Book was like using a firearm. If you read the manual, flip the safety, and chamber a round, pulling the trigger should be the easy part.

I honestly couldn't tell if she was being sincere or just incredibly sarcastic.

Ji Niang was staring at me with an expression I couldn't quite place. It was the kind of look you give someone who complains about how much they have to pay in taxes on their lottery winnings.

She clearly thought I was humblebragging.

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